These are acoustic worship songwriting demos with chords sheets. IF YOU'RE A SINGER, BAND, OR WORSHIP LEADER/PASTOR, FEEL FREE TO USE these modern hymns and worship songs in live settings, and to reproduce lyric sheets for Power Point, overhead transparency, or whatever you use.

THE MODERN HYMN MOVEMENT:

The recent explosion of contemporary hymns and inroads made into churches by Indelible Grace, Stuart Townend, Keith and Kristyn Getty and other modern hymn writers has done wonders for reminding us of the relevance of old hymns and turning again to new hymns crafted in old literary patterns that expressed theological truths in ways that many modern song-constructs cannot follow. I work in this tradition, writing deeply theological worship songs that can be adapted for various musical genres, while presenting the gospel in the depth that hymns are famous for.

Click the "Lyrics/story tab next to each song on my MP3 music page for chords, as well as a list of themes/liturgical settings for each song and CCLI #s. YOU CAN ALSO DOWNLOAD OVERHEAD TRANSFER SHEETS, chord sheets, and lyrics to some of these songs by looking up my name in the Artist List of these two sites: Sharesong.org

My parents had been calling me Vic Valentine, but when I decided to get into music, I knew I needed something with more of a ring to it. So I came up with "Bobby Gilles."

Do you play live?

Most of the time I play live, but if I was approached by a roaring bear, I'd play dead.

How, do you think, does the internet (or mp3) change the music industry?

The world is smaller and it spins faster. We're all either gonna have the time of our lives on this ride, or we're gonna get sick.

Would you sign a record contract with a major label?

No. I'd sign a publishing contract with a reputable publisher that believed in the need for new hymns and modern church congregational music that dealt with a wide range of theological issues. New worship songs can be just as deep as old hymns without sacrificing accessibility.

Band History:

I've performed (or had others perform) my songs in various U.S. churches, as well as Canada and across the sea. I'm a two-time National Top Ten Gospel DJ of the Year Nominee and a CCMA Top Ten Promotions/ Publicist nominee. I've also published many short stories, poems, and articles in different journals and papers. These people, some of whom are featured at sojournmusic.com, appear here (also, check out their music pages from my "links" section):

Nathan Stites: incredible pianist currently enrolled in a music Masters program at a major university. He co-wrote "Love Of God" with me.

Chad Lewis: great singer-songwriter with a powerful voice. Check out his vocals and guitar work on the song he and I cowrote together, "Lord Of All," and my song "You Have Called Us, We Have Come."

Lorie King: Fantastic, smooth voice, experienced worship leader, edits all my songs, occasionally writes with me, has done some recording and singing in various settings. She sings on several of the demos listed here.

Rebecca Bales: Wonderful pianist and singer-songwriter who wrote the melody and made the demo for "All I Have Is Yours" and "Let Justice Roll Like A River."

Dan Cassin: Incredible pianist/composer currently studying jazz piano in college. He wrote the music for "We Are One" and contributed the keyboard part on the demo.

Brooks Ritter: a singer-songwriter with a clear, resonant voice and humble yet energetic stage presence. He cowrote "Lead Us Back" with me. Hear his vocals and guitar work on that song, as well as his vocals on "We Are One."

Rebecca Dennison: Rebecca has a stunning voice and is a gifted writer. Listen to her singing acapella on a song we cowrote: "In The Upper Room They Waited." Rebecca and I also cowrote "I Must Depend On You."

Scott Daniel: Great guy, multi-talented musician and a singer-songwriter in his own right. Scott contributes guitar work on "I Must Depend On You."

Your influences?

Derek Webb, Chris Tomlin, Caedmon's Call, Bob Dylan, old hymnodists like Charles Wesley and Isaac Watts, modern hymnodists like Carl P. Daw, Jr.,Stuart Townend, Keith Getty, Fred Pratt Green, Timothy Dudley-Smith, Bob Kauflin and Sovereign Grace ministries, Kevin Twit and the Indelible Grace team, Sandra McCracken and artists like Kenny Hinson, Nickel Creek ... oh, this could go on forever. I like and am influenced by all kinds of music, from bluegrass to the blues, from garage bands to Celtic fiddlers, Southern Gospel, Brit pop, modern and ancient worship music and folk ballads, poets like Keats, Frost, Auden, Yeats, and Langston Hughes, and many others.

I believe, no matter what musical style or construct, that modern worship songs should become more like hymns in that they should combine objective truth with subjective response. Our generation has got the subjective response down good, but we need more songs that "declare the glory of the Lord, the works He has done." We need to sing about his attributes and His work in history.

Favorite spot?

Louisville, Kentucky, where I work and go to church. I live across the river in Jeffersonville, Indiana -- we call the area where northern Kentucky and southern Indiana are separated only by the Ohio River "Kentuckiana." I couldn't imagine being anywhere else -- it's the perfect mix of city and small town, with a little country thrown in, too.